Straw-cutter



(N0 ModelQ) E. I. GILLILAND 8: J. H. HUNTER.

STRAW CUTTER.

I No. 368,941.. Patented Aug. 30, 1887.

UNITED STATES EDWARD "I. GILLILAND PATENT OFFICE.

' STRAW-CUTTE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,941, dated August30, 1887.

Application filed May 6, 1887. Serial No. 237,352. (No model.) I

To on whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, EDWARD I. GILLI- LAND and JAMES H. HUNTER, citizensof the United States, residing at Three Runs, in the county ofOlearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Straw-Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in strawcutters, the object beingto provide a machine in which the straw,hay,or vegetables will be cutwith much greater shear than a straight cuttingedge will give, and inwhich the amount of material which is cut off at each movement of themachine will be regulated by a guide-plate which is adjustable to givethe desired length of out.

The invention consists, essentially, in the shape and construction ofthe blade used, and in the combination thereof with the operatingmechanism and other parts, as hereinafter described,'illustrated in thedrawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the improvedcutter. Fig. 2 is a front view of same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of thedevice. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the knife detached. Fig. 5 is asimilar view of a modification of same.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A deslgnates the box of the,machine, of the usual style and construction, and supported upon thelegs a a in the usual manner.

Bis a frame secured to the front or discharge end of the machine,provided 011 one side with the lateral lug b, and in its vertical legswith the grooves or ways 6 I), for the side edges of the knife tooperate in. The said knife is of general rectangular shape, the sideedges of which are adapted to move in the ways I), as described, andhaving its cutting or lower edge provided with the teeth 0, oftriangular shape, sharp pointed, and having thelr edges beveled fromwithoutinwardly, and provided with a perforation near its upper edge,midway of its length, and with a bracket, f, having a perforation, f, inits depending arm registering with the perforation in the knife.

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the teeth are rounded; but thoughthe teeth may be of many shapes the triangular teeth are preferred, asthe shear is then even from below upward.

D is the actuating-lever of the device, having the end of one armpivoted at (1 upon one end of the link E, the other end of the said linkbeing pivoted on the projecting lug b. The said lever D is pivoted at eto the knife, the said pivot being in the central vertical line of thesaid knife,andthe outer end or arm of the lever serves as a handle toactuate the latter.

F is the bolt upon which thelever is pivoted,

of the set-screw that passes through a threaded opening in the upper endof the arm 9.

The blade H of the guide-plate stands down outward from the knife andslightly below the same, so that the material can be pushed out againstit before the knife descends. It will be seen that when the knife israised after having made a cut, the hay or straw is pushed out againstthe guide-plate, which depends far enough below the lower edge of theknife when the same raised to prevent the said hay from being pushedentirely out. The guide-plate is adjustable toward and from the knife toregulate the length of the out of the hay or straw. The set-screw g isloosened, and the said guide-plate and split nut g are moved out or intothe desired point on the bolt F, and the said set'screw again screweddown. The teeth of the knife shear against the edge h of the floor ofthe box A at its outlet or discharge end.

It is'evident that from the inclination of the teeth the knife willvhavea great amount of shear, and will consequently cut with much less forcethrough the material. It can therefore be worked more rapidly and withless effort than a machine of the ordinary construction.

The link E allows the lever D enough freedom of motion to move the knifestraight down in its guideways b.

It is customary to work this class of machines by hand; still the leverin the present case can be worked by treadle or other power as desired.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. In a machine to cuthay,the combination, with the box A, the frame provided with the lug band the guideways b, the knife 0, having the teeth 0, the lever D, thelink E, and the bolt F, of the guide-plate G, having the slotted arm 9and the blade H, the set-screw gfland the nut 51, all constructed andarranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a straw or hay cutter, the box A, the frame 13 provided with ways,the knife moving vertically in the said ways and having a perforationtherein, the bracket f on the said knife, having a perforation in itsdepending arm registering with the perforation in the knife, the pivotedhandle or lever D, passing between the knife and the bracket,the bolt F,passing through the said registering perform tions, the guide-plate G,comprising the blade H and the vertical arm 9, having a longitudinalgroove or slot, 9, therein, the divided nut g in the said groove, havinga threaded opening therein to receive the outer end of the bolt F, andthe set-screw g in the upper end of the arm adapted to bear at the lowerend on the said divided nut, substantially as specified.

3. In a straw or hay cutter, the combination of the box,the frameB,provided with ways,the knife moving vertically in said ways,thepivoted handle D, the bolt F, projecting outwardly from the knife andthrough the said handle, the guide-plate G, having the slotted arm g andthe blade H, arranged in front of the cutting-edge of the knife, and theblock or nut g, provided with the threaded opening to receive the end ofthe bolt F and be adjusted toward or from the knife thereon, said blockbeing in the slot in the arm 9 and held therein by a set-screw,substantially as specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD I. GILLILAND. JAMES H. HUNTER. Witnesses:

DEMSTER NoLEN, A. W. RIsHEL.

